• » Online registration for Hillsboro-Roubaix and the Spring Super Criterium opens Monday at 8 a.m. Last year, several Hillsboro fields sold out within minutes, so be alert. This is also a good time to double-check your BikeReg information and ensure that it’s up to date.
• » Our friends at Flatlandia have organized a cyclocross world championships viewing party at the Globe Pub this Sunday. Delayed coverage at 3 p.m.
• » Could the 2013 cyclocross world championships come to the United States? Update: Yes!
• » How much bacon will it take to lure new Evanston resident Barry Wicks (Kona) to the 2010 Chicago Cyclocross Cup?
• » Ben Van Couvering (Team Pegasus) was kind enough to translate the current CBR race calendar into iCal, XML and HTML.
• » It won’t be long before group rides resume in earnest. Mark Landau and Team Judson are organizing a letter-writing campaign to remind Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran who the true menaces on the road are. (I should note that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office was very responsive when the XXX Racing-AthletiCo ride was attacked by a truck in 2007.)
• » Former XXX Racing-AthletiCo and ABD rider Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies) “has one of the narrowest profiles on the team” — and one of its awesomest mustaches. (Alex Candelario is tough to beat.)
• » Here’s a nifty powermeter-GPS-helmetcam mash-up.
• » TheCycleStudio on Harlem Avenue has Friday morning “Induro Cycling” spinning classes for $5 a session.

• » Wisconsin Cycling Association’s 2010 schedule is out, and it looks rather familiar, which is great: No sense messing with a great thing. For road race lovers, the Spring Prairie state championships will again be the first Sunday of June, and in May we return to two hilly courses about an hour north of Madison: Circuit of Sauk on May 1 and La Rue-Denzer-La Rue on May 15. (I considered L-D-L an instant classic when it made its debut in 2009.) I’m also happy to see that the Whitnall Park Spring Classic, a very fun and hilly criterium near Milwaukee, is back after a one-year hiatus.
• » Burnham Racing released its flier for March 27’s Spring Super Criterium, the kick-off of the 2010 Illinois Cup campaign. The boys also announced new shop and bike sponsors, not to mention some nice roster pick-ups.
• » Our first chance to race outdoors will once again be in Kenosha, Wis. ABR’s Kenosha Velosport Spring Criterium Series starts Sunday, March 14, weather permitting, and continues the following two Sundays. (Raise your hand if you still miss Parkside.)
• » Yet another new team to look for in 2010: W2 Racing of Arlington Heights is made up of beginning masters racers and triathletes.
• » The South Chicago Wheelmen are having an open house for juniors Tuesday, Jan. 26, in Homewood.
• » Doing well at Hillsboro-Roubaix can once again secure a spot at the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Last year Chris Winn (RMCEF) drove 31 hours from Colorado for a shot at qualifying — and succeeded.
• » Why I wear a helmet. (Also, why I don’t care for cats.)

Tour of America’s Dairyland today released its 2010 schedule.

As had been rumored, the series does not return to the Blue Mounds course that last year tested the limits of the word “epic.” There will be only two road races, with the Greenbush course featuring a significant climb at the end of each lap. The rest of the series will be criteriums, including the popular Downer Avenue course in Milwaukee and starting with a Thursday elite-only criterium in Shorewood, Wis.

No word yet on fields or prizes.

• » There is still much of the season yet to be confirmed, but I’ve started populating the 2010 race calendar.

• » Several officials clinics are coming up, including a beginners clinic on Saturday, Feb. 20, and moto-ref training on Sunday, Feb. 28.

• » Another Wednesday, another new squad: This week it’s Psimet Racing, based in Elgin. President and title sponsor Rob Curtis says he’s happy to talk to prospective riders at Saturday’s Chicago Winter Bike Swap at Harper College.

• » On the national front, Team Tibco, the only American UCI-sanctioned women’s team, boasts three riders with regional ties: Chicago native Rebecca Much, U of C grad Devon Haskell and 20-year-old Samantha Schneider of West Allis, Wis. The question is, Will we ever see them race? There are no longer any major women’s races in the area, and I expect that Tour of America’s Dairyland and Superweek are too small for Tibco to attend.

• » WCIU takes a look at Ciclo Urbano and its repair classes for women.

• » “The more you race bikes, the more intellectually interesting it becomes.” If you aren’t reading the blog of Steve Tilford (Tradewind Energy/Trek Stores), you should start. I almost wish he would quit racing so he’d have time to write a book.

• » I’ve always wanted to do this. I daresay the results would be different at any Chicago intersection. (Sometimes, just for yucks, I come to complete stops behind each white line while driving through a neighborhood. It’s like going the speed limit on the interstate: You feel like a complete weird-o —

  and people get pissed off and honk at you.)

• » Rapha pays a visit to Blue Mounds, site of one of 2009’s most popular races.

• » The Glencoe Summerfest 2009 photo book includes many shots from the Glencoe Grand prix. Sales benefit the Glencoe Educational Foundation.

• » Speaking of which, only two more days left to pre-order your Chicago cyclocross book and enter the raffle for free bacon.

• » The Illinois Cycling Association meets this Saturday in Lisle. In an effort to give better lead time in the future, meetings are now established on the second Saturdays of September, October, November, January, February, March, and April.
• » John Wilke put together a video recap of the 2009 season.
• » The Allvoi Cup returns to the track Aug. 6-8. Voytek Glinkowski (WDT-Allvoi) says he expects between $9,000 and $15,000 in prize money. Qualification heats will start that Friday at noon. Mass-start races are open to Cat 4 and above, and the open categories will be capped at 40 riders.
• » Another new squad for 2010: Vic Rentas sends word of Team G Force out of Park Ridge. Membership is open.
• » Excellent recap of a rookie season from Sarah Lu (Half Acre Cycling). “I generally didn’t come in last, and I managed not to break my face.” (Those were my goals my first season, too.)
• » Don’t forget to register for Sunday’s cyclocross banquet in Skokie.
• » And only 10 days left to pre-order your cyclocross photo book. Pre-ordering lets you sidestep shipping charges and enters you in a raffle for 2 pounds of premium bacon.
• » Baroudeurs and rouleurs report in 52 days.